If you’re constantly using more gas than your dive buddy, you might feel tempted to simply head out with a bigger bottle and leave it at that. Luckily, there are better and less expensive ways to reduce the amount of air you use, which can make you a better diver as well. Here are some top tips for getting the most from each and every tank.
Dive as Much as Possible
The more you dive, the more comfortable you will be, and the more you will be able to practice achieving an optimal rate of air consumption. You’ll feel more at home in the water, and this will make you feel much more relaxed.
Work Toward Better Physical Fitness
Gaining better physical fitness allows your body to be more efficient, so you’ll use less air. When you are in good condition, you’ll find that you have to work less to manage your gear on the surface, swim as you dive, and get back to shore or back onto the dive boat. The more cardio you get, the better; aim for between three and five hours of exercise weekly, and you’ll notice air consumption improving.
Swim Laps When you Can
If you have access to a pool, swim laps with your face in the water, always working to streamline your shape and feel more comfortable while gaining greater efficiency. Remember to breathe regularly and evenly while swimming, and don’t hold your breath.
Work on Buoyancy Control and Trim, and Use the Frog Kick
The better your buoyancy control and trim, the better your air consumption will be, since you’ll have to work a lot less to maintain your depth. Kicking like a frog not only helps to decrease the likelihood that clouds of silt will wreck visibility, it also helps you to glide along while enabling you to focus.
Slow Down and Enjoy the Scenery
Moving more slowly enables you to relax and breathe properly so you use less gas. Slow down intentionally, taking your time and hovering, looking for some of those critters that are impossible to see unless you’re really paying attention.
Keep Depth Consistent, and Stay a Little Shallower than Usual
By staying as shallow as possible, you get more out of each and every breath, since you are breathing from your tanks at a lower pressure. Even staying at a depth of five feet shallower than usual can help save air. When you keep your depth consistent, without adding gas to or dumping gas from your BC, you use a whole lot less air.
By following these six steps, you’ll find that you can easily get more out of each and every tank; reduce the amount of gear you carry, and you’ll discover that diving becomes even easier. Practice all of your skills and spend time in the water even when you’re not diving. By increasing your comfort level and becoming one with the water that surrounds you, you’ll find that your skills improve as your air consumption decreases.